US20110240442A1 - Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive - Google Patents
Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20110240442A1 US20110240442A1 US12/754,687 US75468710A US2011240442A1 US 20110240442 A1 US20110240442 A1 US 20110240442A1 US 75468710 A US75468710 A US 75468710A US 2011240442 A1 US2011240442 A1 US 2011240442A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- tray
- pulley
- driven pulley
- drive pulley
- conveyor assembly
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 34
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 5
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 5
- 239000003638 chemical reducing agent Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000004075 alteration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002301 combined effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005457 optimization Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000006467 substitution reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G25/00—Conveyors comprising a cyclically-moving, e.g. reciprocating, carrier or impeller which is disengaged from the load during the return part of its movement
- B65G25/04—Conveyors comprising a cyclically-moving, e.g. reciprocating, carrier or impeller which is disengaged from the load during the return part of its movement the carrier or impeller having identical forward and return paths of movement, e.g. reciprocating conveyors
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G27/00—Jigging conveyors
- B65G27/10—Applications of devices for generating or transmitting jigging movements
- B65G27/16—Applications of devices for generating or transmitting jigging movements of vibrators, i.e. devices for producing movements of high frequency and small amplitude
- B65G27/18—Mechanical devices
- B65G27/20—Mechanical devices rotating unbalanced masses
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G27/00—Jigging conveyors
- B65G27/10—Applications of devices for generating or transmitting jigging movements
- B65G27/28—Applications of devices for generating or transmitting jigging movements with provision for dynamic balancing
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G27/00—Jigging conveyors
- B65G27/10—Applications of devices for generating or transmitting jigging movements
- B65G27/28—Applications of devices for generating or transmitting jigging movements with provision for dynamic balancing
- B65G27/30—Applications of devices for generating or transmitting jigging movements with provision for dynamic balancing by means of an oppositely-moving mass, e.g. a second conveyor
Definitions
- the present invention relates to conveyors of the type that utilize an elongate tray to move goods along the tray. More particularly, this invention relates to a differential impulse conveyor wherein a drive unit or drive assembly moves the tray forward at a first speed, then backward at a greater speed such that goods slide relative to the tray and thus move forward along the tray.
- the improved conveyor drive has high reliability and relatively low cost by avoiding the use of a conventional crank and associated bearings.
- U.S. Pat. No. 2,374,663 which utilizes a pair of crank arms. The crank arm causes a change in the rotational speed of a driven pulley.
- Other drives for a vibratory conveyor system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,260,052, 4,913,281, 5,404,996, 6,019,216, 6,230,875, 6,276,518, 6,415,912, and 6,435,337. More recent drives for vibratory conveyors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,124 and 6,868,960.
- U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,655 is directed to a timing belt tensioner.
- Differential impulse conveyors have significant advantage over vibratory conveyors for many applications. Differential impulse conveyors slide goods along a tray, but do not require vertical movement of the goods with respect to the tray. Goods conveyed with a differential impulse conveyor are thus generally subject to less damage than goods transported by a vibratory conveyor. Moreover, the drive mechanism itself may operate in a quieter manner and may be less susceptible to maintenance problems.
- An early version of a drive for an inertial conveyor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,278.
- Drives for differential impulse conveyors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,794,757, 6,079,548, 6,189,683, 6,398,013, 6,415,911 and 6,527,104.
- Another type of differential impulse conveyor drive is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,757.
- a conveyor assembly comprises a tray laterally moveable in a forward direction at a first speed, and a backward direction at a second speed greater than the first speed, thereby moving goods along the tray.
- This embodiment may employ a plurality of legs pivotally connected to the tray and supporting the tray during lateral movement.
- a motor is provided for powering a drive pulley about a drive pulley axis, and the driven pulley is powered by the drive pulley.
- a belt or other flexible member interconnects the driven pulley and the drive pulley, with the driven pulley mounted to one of the plurality of legs and the tray and rotatable about a driven pulley axis.
- At least one of the drive pulley and the driven pulley have an eccentric pulley axis, thereby imparting lateral movement to the one of the leg and the tray.
- the conveyor assembly further includes a tension mechanism to take up slack in the flexible member, which may be a biasing member or a tensioning pulley.
- a method of conveying goods includes providing the tray and the motor discussed above, and powering a driven pulley by the drive pulley and a flexible member interconnecting these pulleys.
- the driven pulley may be mounted to one of a plurality of legs or the tray.
- One or both of the drive pulley and the driven pulley are rotated about an eccentric pulley axis, thereby imparting lateral movement to the tray.
- FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the primary components of a differential impulse conveyor according to the present invention.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of an alternative conveyor with a biasing spring acting on one of the legs.
- FIG. 3 illustrates the portion of another embodiment of a conveyor wherein both the drive pulley and the driven pulley are eccentrically mounted.
- FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of another embodiment of a portion of a conveyor, wherein each of the drive pulley and the driven pulley have a substantially vertical axis.
- FIG. 5 is a top view, partially in cut-away, of the conveyor shown in FIG. 4 .
- FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a differential impulse conveyor 10 according to the present invention.
- the conveyor includes a tray 12 which moves laterally in the forward direction (to the right in FIG. 1 ) at a first speed, and in a backward direction at a second speed greater than the first speed, such that goods slide relative to the tray floor during the backward movement and thereby move forward with the tray as it moves forward.
- the tray 12 as shown in FIG. 1 may have a pair of opposing sides 14 which determine the maximum depth of the goods in the tray, such that the tray itself in cross-section has a general U-shaped configuration.
- a plurality of legs 18 , 20 are pivotally connected at 26 to the tray, and are pivotally connected at 24 to a base 22 , with travel of goods along the tray in FIG. 1 being to the right.
- the legs 18 , 20 thus support the tray during lateral movement in the forward and backward directions.
- Various other mechanisms may be provided for supporting the trays as discussed subsequently.
- the conveyor is driven by a drive motor 30 which is positioned on motor base 28 supported on the conveyor base 22 .
- the motor 30 is conventionally powered electrically but could be powered hydraulically or pneumatically.
- the motor rotates a drive shaft 31 , which as shown in FIG. 1 is concentrically mounted on the motor base 28 .
- a speed reducer or other gear box may be positioned between the drive motor 30 and the pulley 32 , so that the motor powers the speed reducer, and the output of the speed reducer rotates the pulley 32 .
- FIG. 1 also shows a driven pulley 36 which is eccentrically mounted on one of the plurality of legs 20 , and is powered by the drive pulley 32 and a flexible member 34 , such as the timing belt or a timing chain, which interconnects the drive pulley and the driven pulley.
- a driven pulley 36 which is eccentrically mounted on one of the plurality of legs 20 , and is powered by the drive pulley 32 and a flexible member 34 , such as the timing belt or a timing chain, which interconnects the drive pulley and the driven pulley.
- the driven pulley Since the driven pulley is eccentrically mounted, its rotation during a full cycle pivots the arm 20 in a forward direction at a relatively slow speed, and in a backward direction at a relatively fast speed, thereby moving goods along the tray.
- the distance of travel for the tray during the full forward cycle or backward cycle is relatively short, and normally in the range of from 1 to 3 inches.
- the vertical movement of the tray during this cycle is very
- the timing belt 34 may pull the pulley 36 in a direction so that it rotates closer to the pulley 32 , but cannot push the pulley 36 in an opposing direction to take up the slack in the timing belt. Accordingly, a tension mechanism consisting of another timing belt 38 and pulley 40 concentrically mounted on tensioning pulley base 42 are provided.
- the shaft on which the pulley 36 is mounted may thus effectively have two pulleys, or a single pulley with two belt grooves, so that the tensioning mechanism 38 and 40 act to pull the driven pulley 36 in a direction away from the drive pulley 32 .
- the drive pulley 32 driven by the motor 30 is also connected to an eccentrically mounted counterweight pulley 46 , with timing belt 44 connecting the pulley 32 and the pulley 46 .
- the pulley 46 is eccentrically mounted on arm 48 which is secured to counterweight 50 , which in turn is pivotally supported on leg 52 which rotates about pivot 54 on the base 22 .
- Another tensioning mechanism is provided by the timing belt 56 and the concentrically mounted pulley 58 , which is supported on pivot base 60 secured to the base 22 .
- Rotation of the pulley 32 thus simultaneously rotates both the eccentrically mounted pulleys 36 and 46 , with the appropriate tensioning mechanisms provided for each pulley to take up the slack in the respective flexible member.
- Pulley 36 thus imparts the desired differential impulse movement to the tray 12 , while the pulley 46 moves the counterweight 50 in a manner which opposes the momentum of the tray movement, thereby reducing vibration problems.
- the eccentric mounting of the driven pulley 36 causes it to tighten and loosen belt 34 , thereby moving arm 20 forward and backward.
- the eccentric mounting of pulley 36 also causes belt 34 to pull on a short radius, causing it to rotate fast and after 180° of rotation, and to pull on a long radius, causing it to rotate slow.
- the combined effect causes arm 20 to move rearward at a fast speed and forward at a slow speed, thereby causing goods to move along the tray.
- the counterweight and associated counterweight mechanism may not be required for all applications, i.e. small, light pans, or slow speed conveyors.
- a significant advantage of the FIG. 1 embodiment is the simplicity of the drive mechanism. Various types of crank arms are not employed, thereby avoiding the costs associated with both the crank arm and the bearings which control the crank arm movement.
- a further significant feature of the above conveyor is that the rotational speed and thus the stroke of the tray may be easily controlled by the eccentricity of each pulley, which may be adjustable. In the present design, the pulleys change both the speed and stroke of the pan or tray.
- FIG. 1 Subsequent drawings illustrate portions of a conveyor shown in FIG. 1 , and FIGS. 2 and 3 only the front or forward supports 20 are depicted, with no pan 12 .
- the pulleys for driving a counterweight are not shown in FIG. 2 for clarity of the depicted components, although in general a counterweight and pulleys for driving the counterweight as discussed in FIG. 1 would be used for both the FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 embodiments.
- the drive pulley 120 is concentrically mounted with respect to motor base 28 , and the timing belt 34 rotates a driven pulley 122 which is eccentrically mounted on the arm 20 . This arrangement achieves the same result as the drive mechanism shown in the FIG.
- a spring such as spring 128 , acts between the leg 20 and the spring base 130 , thus exerting a continual force to bias the leg 20 away from the drive pulley 120 .
- the concentric pulley is mounted on the motor and the eccentric pulley on the arm 20 .
- Belt tension and the slow forward movement is provided by the spring in lieu of pulley 40 and belt 38 as shown in FIG. 1 .
- Fine tuning between the stroke and the fast/slow ratio may be achieved by varying the height of the driven pulley 122 in relation to the height of the driving pulley 120 .
- Eccentric pulley 122 is thus adjustably positionable along curved slot 144 in guide plate 142 , which is secured to arm 20 .
- the pulley 122 may be locked in a selected position to adjust the stroke length and the slow forward/fast backward ratio. Moving the pulley 122 upward within the slot 144 changes the angle of the belt 34 , which shows inclines substantially when the pulley 122 is positioned as shown in FIG. 2 .
- Increasing the belt angle from horizontal changes the timing between the slow forward/fast backward movement of the tray and the cranking mechanism involved in that motion. Adjustment of this timing by selectively varying the angle of the driven pulley relative to the drive pulley thus allows for optimization to travel over specific product moving along the tray, so that the selected belt angle is a part of function of the product being conveyed.
- both the drive pulley 124 and the driven pulley 126 are eccentrically mounted, with the spring 132 acting as the tension mechanism to take up slack in the flexible member 132 in a manner similar to that achieved with the compensating pulley 40 and the belt 38 shown in FIG. 1 .
- the FIG. 3 embodiment allows the eccentricity of the pulley to be half of the pulley used in the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 embodiments, thereby allowing the timed pulleys to be smaller in diameter with reduced out-of-balance forces.
- substantial stops to limit travel in the forward and backward directions may be provided to minimize over travel of the arms and tray in the event of a belt breakage.
- a similar mechanism is shown in FIG.
- either the drive pulley or both the drive pulley and the driven pulley may be selectively adjustable, since a change in their relative position is important. Other mechanisms may be used for facilitating that adjustment and then selectively locking the position of the adjustable pulley in place.
- FIG. 4 is a side view of the conveyor 10 with a tray 12 as discussed above.
- the drive pulley 32 driven by motor 30 powers a driven pulley 36 which is interconnected with the drive pulley via a timing belt 34 .
- Pulley 36 eccentrically rotates about axis 80 , which is laterally fixed by plate assembly 82 directly to the pan 12 .
- Another pulley 84 rotates about the same axis 80 , with the belt 38 connecting pulley 84 with compensating pulley 86 , which eccentrically rotates about the shaft 88 and is rotatably about support 90 secured to the base 22 .
- compensating pulley 86 which eccentrically rotates about the shaft 88 and is rotatably about support 90 secured to the base 22 .
- the motor also rotates pulley 92 , which acts through the belt 44 to rotate pulley 46 , which is in turn moves counterweight 50 slidably supported on pad 94 .
- Pulley 96 is also rotated by the drive motor and belt 44 , with belt 56 driving pulley 58 which is eccentrically supported on base post 98 .
- a plurality of support legs 102 , 104 may support the tray 12 on the base 22 , with bearing slide packages 106 and 108 providing for sliding movement of the tray relative to the base in both the forward and backward directions.
- FIG. 5 is a top view of the assembly shown in FIG. 4 , with a portion of the tray 12 cutaway to shown the orientation of the primary components of the drive mechanism.
- An advantage over the previous embodiments is that the space between the floor of the tray and the base in the FIG. 5 embodiment may be relatively short because the axes of the pulleys are each substantially vertical in the FIGS. 4 and 5 embodiment, rather than being substantially horizontal as shown in the FIG. 1-3 embodiments.
- this embodiment shows the option of interconnecting the driven pulley directly to the tray, with the legs 102 , 104 only supporting the tray during lateral movement.
- the tray could be otherwise supported so that it slid back and forth during operation of the drive.
- the tray may be supported from rods or arms extending upward from the tray to a roof or other overhead structure.
- the embodiment as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 has significant advantages in that the vertical spacing between base 22 and the tray 12 may be relatively short. This allows for the possibility of the conveyor to fit within a relatively small vertical spacing, and also allows the possibility of a plurality of conveyors to be vertically stacked in a desired arrangement.
- the conveyor assembly includes a driven pulley mounted to one of the plurality of legs or the tray, with the driven pulley rotatable about a driven pulley axis. At least one of the drive pulley and the driven pulley have an eccentric pulley axis, thereby imparting movement in either the forward direction or the backward direction to the tray.
- a tension mechanism takes up slack in the flexible member so that the flexible member returns the tray back to its starting position by moving the tray in the other of the forward direction or the backward direction.
- the belt or other flexible member may pull the tray in either the forward direction at a first slow speed, or may pull the tray in a backward direction at a second speed greater than the first speed, thereby moving goods forward along the tray.
- the tension mechanism thus acts to return the tray in the opposite direction, which may correspond to travel of the tray at either a slow forward speed or faster return speed.
- a tension mechanism to take up the slack in the flexible member Two embodiments of a tension mechanism to take up the slack in the flexible member are disclosed.
- a spring or other biasing member exerts a biasing force to bias the tray or one of the legs away from the drive pulley, and this biasing force may result in either a slow forward or faster return motion for the tray.
- the tension mechanism comprises a tension pulley mounted to a stationary base, with a flexible tensioning member interconnecting the driven pulley and the tensioning pulley. Either tension mechanism may cause either the slow forward or faster return motion of the tray, with the drive pulley and the driven pulley causing the other tray motion.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a feature of the invention wherein each of the shafts for the pulleys 32 and 36 , and optionally also shaft 40 , shaft 46 , and shaft 58 , if used, are at the same horizontal level, i.e., within a plane parallel to the floor.
- This design simplifies the operation of the system, so that fine tuning the system can be commenced with this starting point. More particularly, lowering the drive shaft 31 from this starting point provides a selective change in timing between the rotation of the drive shaft and the lateral movement of the tray. In some applications, it may be desirable to vertically change the height of shaft 31 relative to the shaft drive for pulley 36 , as effectively shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 . Even for this embodiment, all shafts other than shaft 31 preferably may be at the same horizontal level.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Transmission Devices (AREA)
- Structure Of Belt Conveyors (AREA)
- Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
- Rollers For Roller Conveyors For Transfer (AREA)
- Framework For Endless Conveyors (AREA)
- Chain Conveyers (AREA)
- Attitude Control For Articles On Conveyors (AREA)
- Jigging Conveyors (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to conveyors of the type that utilize an elongate tray to move goods along the tray. More particularly, this invention relates to a differential impulse conveyor wherein a drive unit or drive assembly moves the tray forward at a first speed, then backward at a greater speed such that goods slide relative to the tray and thus move forward along the tray. The improved conveyor drive has high reliability and relatively low cost by avoiding the use of a conventional crank and associated bearings.
- Various types of conveyors have been devised which employ an elongate tray or pan having a planar surface for transporting goods thereon. These trays conventionally have sides projecting upwardly from the planar floor of the tray, such that the tray has a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration. Conveyors with these types of trays are preferred for various applications since the goods transported along the tray need only engage the tray during the conveying operation, and since the tray may be easily cleaned.
- One type of conveyor which utilizes such a tray is a vibratory conveyor or shaker conveyor. These types of conveyors utilize a drive mechanism which essentially vibrates the tray, so that goods move along a slightly inclined or horizontal tray floor due to the forward direction imparted to the goods while raised off the floor. An earlier version of a conveyor drive is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,374,663, which utilizes a pair of crank arms. The crank arm causes a change in the rotational speed of a driven pulley. Other drives for a vibratory conveyor system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,260,052, 4,913,281, 5,404,996, 6,019,216, 6,230,875, 6,276,518, 6,415,912, and 6,435,337. More recent drives for vibratory conveyors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,124 and 6,868,960. U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,655 is directed to a timing belt tensioner.
- Differential impulse conveyors have significant advantage over vibratory conveyors for many applications. Differential impulse conveyors slide goods along a tray, but do not require vertical movement of the goods with respect to the tray. Goods conveyed with a differential impulse conveyor are thus generally subject to less damage than goods transported by a vibratory conveyor. Moreover, the drive mechanism itself may operate in a quieter manner and may be less susceptible to maintenance problems. An early version of a drive for an inertial conveyor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,278. Drives for differential impulse conveyors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,794,757, 6,079,548, 6,189,683, 6,398,013, 6,415,911 and 6,527,104. Another type of differential impulse conveyor drive is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,757.
- The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and an improved differential impulse conveyor and a drive for such a conveyor are hereinafter disclosed.
- In one embodiment, a conveyor assembly comprises a tray laterally moveable in a forward direction at a first speed, and a backward direction at a second speed greater than the first speed, thereby moving goods along the tray. This embodiment may employ a plurality of legs pivotally connected to the tray and supporting the tray during lateral movement. A motor is provided for powering a drive pulley about a drive pulley axis, and the driven pulley is powered by the drive pulley. A belt or other flexible member interconnects the driven pulley and the drive pulley, with the driven pulley mounted to one of the plurality of legs and the tray and rotatable about a driven pulley axis. At least one of the drive pulley and the driven pulley have an eccentric pulley axis, thereby imparting lateral movement to the one of the leg and the tray. The conveyor assembly further includes a tension mechanism to take up slack in the flexible member, which may be a biasing member or a tensioning pulley.
- According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of conveying goods includes providing the tray and the motor discussed above, and powering a driven pulley by the drive pulley and a flexible member interconnecting these pulleys. The driven pulley may be mounted to one of a plurality of legs or the tray. One or both of the drive pulley and the driven pulley are rotated about an eccentric pulley axis, thereby imparting lateral movement to the tray.
- These and further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, wherein reference is made to the figures in the accompanying drawings.
-
FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the primary components of a differential impulse conveyor according to the present invention. -
FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of an alternative conveyor with a biasing spring acting on one of the legs. -
FIG. 3 illustrates the portion of another embodiment of a conveyor wherein both the drive pulley and the driven pulley are eccentrically mounted. -
FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of another embodiment of a portion of a conveyor, wherein each of the drive pulley and the driven pulley have a substantially vertical axis. -
FIG. 5 is a top view, partially in cut-away, of the conveyor shown inFIG. 4 . -
FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of adifferential impulse conveyor 10 according to the present invention. The conveyor includes atray 12 which moves laterally in the forward direction (to the right inFIG. 1 ) at a first speed, and in a backward direction at a second speed greater than the first speed, such that goods slide relative to the tray floor during the backward movement and thereby move forward with the tray as it moves forward. Thetray 12 as shown inFIG. 1 may have a pair ofopposing sides 14 which determine the maximum depth of the goods in the tray, such that the tray itself in cross-section has a general U-shaped configuration. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , a plurality oflegs 18, 20 (tworearward legs 18 and two forward legs 20) are pivotally connected at 26 to the tray, and are pivotally connected at 24 to abase 22, with travel of goods along the tray inFIG. 1 being to the right. Thelegs drive motor 30 which is positioned onmotor base 28 supported on theconveyor base 22. Themotor 30 is conventionally powered electrically but could be powered hydraulically or pneumatically. The motor rotates adrive shaft 31, which as shown inFIG. 1 is concentrically mounted on themotor base 28. Although not shown inFIG. 1 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that a speed reducer or other gear box may be positioned between thedrive motor 30 and thepulley 32, so that the motor powers the speed reducer, and the output of the speed reducer rotates thepulley 32. -
FIG. 1 also shows a drivenpulley 36 which is eccentrically mounted on one of the plurality oflegs 20, and is powered by thedrive pulley 32 and aflexible member 34, such as the timing belt or a timing chain, which interconnects the drive pulley and the driven pulley. Since the driven pulley is eccentrically mounted, its rotation during a full cycle pivots thearm 20 in a forward direction at a relatively slow speed, and in a backward direction at a relatively fast speed, thereby moving goods along the tray. The distance of travel for the tray during the full forward cycle or backward cycle is relatively short, and normally in the range of from 1 to 3 inches. The vertical movement of the tray during this cycle is very limited and does not contribute to or detract from movement of goods along the tray. Thetiming belt 34 may pull thepulley 36 in a direction so that it rotates closer to thepulley 32, but cannot push thepulley 36 in an opposing direction to take up the slack in the timing belt. Accordingly, a tension mechanism consisting of anothertiming belt 38 andpulley 40 concentrically mounted on tensioningpulley base 42 are provided. The shaft on which thepulley 36 is mounted may thus effectively have two pulleys, or a single pulley with two belt grooves, so that thetensioning mechanism pulley 36 in a direction away from thedrive pulley 32. - In order to reduce vibration in the system and contribute to a long life, as well as to reduce the noise of the conveyor drive, the
drive pulley 32 driven by themotor 30 is also connected to an eccentricallymounted counterweight pulley 46, withtiming belt 44 connecting thepulley 32 and thepulley 46. Thepulley 46 is eccentrically mounted onarm 48 which is secured tocounterweight 50, which in turn is pivotally supported onleg 52 which rotates aboutpivot 54 on thebase 22. Another tensioning mechanism is provided by thetiming belt 56 and the concentrically mountedpulley 58, which is supported onpivot base 60 secured to thebase 22. Rotation of thepulley 32 thus simultaneously rotates both the eccentrically mountedpulleys Pulley 36 thus imparts the desired differential impulse movement to thetray 12, while thepulley 46 moves thecounterweight 50 in a manner which opposes the momentum of the tray movement, thereby reducing vibration problems. More particularly, the eccentric mounting of the drivenpulley 36 causes it to tighten and loosenbelt 34, thereby movingarm 20 forward and backward. The eccentric mounting ofpulley 36 also causesbelt 34 to pull on a short radius, causing it to rotate fast and after 180° of rotation, and to pull on a long radius, causing it to rotate slow. The combined effect causesarm 20 to move rearward at a fast speed and forward at a slow speed, thereby causing goods to move along the tray. The counterweight and associated counterweight mechanism may not be required for all applications, i.e. small, light pans, or slow speed conveyors. - A significant advantage of the
FIG. 1 embodiment is the simplicity of the drive mechanism. Various types of crank arms are not employed, thereby avoiding the costs associated with both the crank arm and the bearings which control the crank arm movement. A further significant feature of the above conveyor is that the rotational speed and thus the stroke of the tray may be easily controlled by the eccentricity of each pulley, which may be adjustable. In the present design, the pulleys change both the speed and stroke of the pan or tray. - Subsequent drawings illustrate portions of a conveyor shown in
FIG. 1 , andFIGS. 2 and 3 only the front or forward supports 20 are depicted, with nopan 12. Also, the pulleys for driving a counterweight are not shown inFIG. 2 for clarity of the depicted components, although in general a counterweight and pulleys for driving the counterweight as discussed inFIG. 1 would be used for both theFIG. 2 andFIG. 3 embodiments. InFIG. 2 , thedrive pulley 120 is concentrically mounted with respect tomotor base 28, and thetiming belt 34 rotates a drivenpulley 122 which is eccentrically mounted on thearm 20. This arrangement achieves the same result as the drive mechanism shown in theFIG. 1 embodiment, resulting in backward and forward movement of thetray support 20 and thus the tray. In theFIG. 2 embodiment, a spring, such asspring 128, acts between theleg 20 and thespring base 130, thus exerting a continual force to bias theleg 20 away from thedrive pulley 120. InFIG. 2 , the concentric pulley is mounted on the motor and the eccentric pulley on thearm 20. Belt tension and the slow forward movement is provided by the spring in lieu ofpulley 40 andbelt 38 as shown inFIG. 1 . - Fine tuning between the stroke and the fast/slow ratio may be achieved by varying the height of the driven
pulley 122 in relation to the height of the drivingpulley 120.Eccentric pulley 122 is thus adjustably positionable alongcurved slot 144 inguide plate 142, which is secured toarm 20. Thepulley 122 may be locked in a selected position to adjust the stroke length and the slow forward/fast backward ratio. Moving thepulley 122 upward within theslot 144 changes the angle of thebelt 34, which shows inclines substantially when thepulley 122 is positioned as shown inFIG. 2 . Increasing the belt angle from horizontal changes the timing between the slow forward/fast backward movement of the tray and the cranking mechanism involved in that motion. Adjustment of this timing by selectively varying the angle of the driven pulley relative to the drive pulley thus allows for optimization to travel over specific product moving along the tray, so that the selected belt angle is a part of function of the product being conveyed. - In the
FIG. 3 embodiment, both thedrive pulley 124 and the drivenpulley 126 are eccentrically mounted, with thespring 132 acting as the tension mechanism to take up slack in theflexible member 132 in a manner similar to that achieved with the compensatingpulley 40 and thebelt 38 shown inFIG. 1 . TheFIG. 3 embodiment allows the eccentricity of the pulley to be half of the pulley used in theFIG. 1 andFIG. 2 embodiments, thereby allowing the timed pulleys to be smaller in diameter with reduced out-of-balance forces. For all the embodiments, substantial stops to limit travel in the forward and backward directions may be provided to minimize over travel of the arms and tray in the event of a belt breakage. A similar mechanism is shown inFIG. 3 for fine-tuning the conveyor performance by varying the angle of the driven pulley with respect to the drive pulley. In other embodiments, either the drive pulley or both the drive pulley and the driven pulley may be selectively adjustable, since a change in their relative position is important. Other mechanisms may be used for facilitating that adjustment and then selectively locking the position of the adjustable pulley in place. -
FIG. 4 is a side view of theconveyor 10 with atray 12 as discussed above. Thedrive pulley 32 driven bymotor 30 powers a drivenpulley 36 which is interconnected with the drive pulley via atiming belt 34.Pulley 36 eccentrically rotates aboutaxis 80, which is laterally fixed byplate assembly 82 directly to thepan 12. Anotherpulley 84 rotates about thesame axis 80, with thebelt 38 connectingpulley 84 with compensatingpulley 86, which eccentrically rotates about theshaft 88 and is rotatably aboutsupport 90 secured to thebase 22. As with theFIG. 1 embodiment, the motor also rotatespulley 92, which acts through thebelt 44 to rotatepulley 46, which is in turn movescounterweight 50 slidably supported onpad 94.Pulley 96 is also rotated by the drive motor andbelt 44, withbelt 56 drivingpulley 58 which is eccentrically supported onbase post 98. A plurality ofsupport legs tray 12 on thebase 22, with bearing slide packages 106 and 108 providing for sliding movement of the tray relative to the base in both the forward and backward directions. -
FIG. 5 is a top view of the assembly shown inFIG. 4 , with a portion of thetray 12 cutaway to shown the orientation of the primary components of the drive mechanism. An advantage over the previous embodiments is that the space between the floor of the tray and the base in theFIG. 5 embodiment may be relatively short because the axes of the pulleys are each substantially vertical in theFIGS. 4 and 5 embodiment, rather than being substantially horizontal as shown in theFIG. 1-3 embodiments. Also, this embodiment shows the option of interconnecting the driven pulley directly to the tray, with thelegs - The embodiment as shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5 has significant advantages in that the vertical spacing betweenbase 22 and thetray 12 may be relatively short. This allows for the possibility of the conveyor to fit within a relatively small vertical spacing, and also allows the possibility of a plurality of conveyors to be vertically stacked in a desired arrangement. - The conveyor assembly includes a driven pulley mounted to one of the plurality of legs or the tray, with the driven pulley rotatable about a driven pulley axis. At least one of the drive pulley and the driven pulley have an eccentric pulley axis, thereby imparting movement in either the forward direction or the backward direction to the tray. A tension mechanism takes up slack in the flexible member so that the flexible member returns the tray back to its starting position by moving the tray in the other of the forward direction or the backward direction. The belt or other flexible member may pull the tray in either the forward direction at a first slow speed, or may pull the tray in a backward direction at a second speed greater than the first speed, thereby moving goods forward along the tray. The tension mechanism thus acts to return the tray in the opposite direction, which may correspond to travel of the tray at either a slow forward speed or faster return speed.
- Two embodiments of a tension mechanism to take up the slack in the flexible member are disclosed. In one embodiment, a spring or other biasing member exerts a biasing force to bias the tray or one of the legs away from the drive pulley, and this biasing force may result in either a slow forward or faster return motion for the tray. In another embodiment, the tension mechanism comprises a tension pulley mounted to a stationary base, with a flexible tensioning member interconnecting the driven pulley and the tensioning pulley. Either tension mechanism may cause either the slow forward or faster return motion of the tray, with the drive pulley and the driven pulley causing the other tray motion.
-
FIG. 1 illustrates a feature of the invention wherein each of the shafts for thepulleys shaft 40,shaft 46, andshaft 58, if used, are at the same horizontal level, i.e., within a plane parallel to the floor. This design simplifies the operation of the system, so that fine tuning the system can be commenced with this starting point. More particularly, lowering thedrive shaft 31 from this starting point provides a selective change in timing between the rotation of the drive shaft and the lateral movement of the tray. In some applications, it may be desirable to vertically change the height ofshaft 31 relative to the shaft drive forpulley 36, as effectively shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 . Even for this embodiment, all shafts other thanshaft 31 preferably may be at the same horizontal level. - Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein in some detail, this has been done solely for the purposes of explaining the various aspects of the invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims which follow. Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment shown and described is exemplary, and various other substitutions, alterations and modifications, including but not limited to those design alternatives specifically discussed herein, may be made in the practice of the invention without departing from its scope.
Claims (21)
Priority Applications (9)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US12/754,687 US8066114B2 (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2010-04-06 | Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive |
ES11766559T ES2814304T3 (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2011-04-04 | Differential Impulse Conveyor with Enhanced Drive |
EP11766559.6A EP2556003B1 (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2011-04-04 | Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive |
CA2795300A CA2795300C (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2011-04-04 | Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive |
AU2011238514A AU2011238514B2 (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2011-04-04 | Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive |
PL11766559T PL2556003T3 (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2011-04-04 | Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive |
PCT/US2011/031110 WO2011126987A1 (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2011-04-04 | Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive |
MX2012011437A MX2012011437A (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2011-04-04 | Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive. |
BR112012025322A BR112012025322B1 (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2011-04-04 | differential impulse conveyor assembly and freight transport method |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US12/754,687 US8066114B2 (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2010-04-06 | Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20110240442A1 true US20110240442A1 (en) | 2011-10-06 |
US8066114B2 US8066114B2 (en) | 2011-11-29 |
Family
ID=44708333
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US12/754,687 Expired - Fee Related US8066114B2 (en) | 2010-04-06 | 2010-04-06 | Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive |
Country Status (9)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US8066114B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP2556003B1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2011238514B2 (en) |
BR (1) | BR112012025322B1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2795300C (en) |
ES (1) | ES2814304T3 (en) |
MX (1) | MX2012011437A (en) |
PL (1) | PL2556003T3 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2011126987A1 (en) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
ITUD20120056A1 (en) * | 2012-04-04 | 2013-10-05 | Danieli Off Mecc | VIBRATION DEVICE FOR CONVEYING EQUIPMENT OF A METALLIC CHARGE IN A MERGER PLANT |
WO2014186253A1 (en) | 2013-05-13 | 2014-11-20 | Key Technology, Inc. | Linear motion conveyor |
CN106628459A (en) * | 2016-12-31 | 2017-05-10 | 苏州博众精工科技有限公司 | Vibrating mechanism |
EP3331782A4 (en) * | 2015-08-04 | 2018-12-19 | Key Technology, Inc. | Improved linear motion conveyor |
Families Citing this family (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9776805B2 (en) | 2013-05-13 | 2017-10-03 | Key Technology, Inc. | Linear motion conveyor |
US9452890B2 (en) | 2014-10-17 | 2016-09-27 | Smalley Manufacturing Co., Inc. | Linear wave motion conveyor |
US10131503B2 (en) * | 2016-07-07 | 2018-11-20 | Karen Sue Svejkowsky | Rotary to linearly reciprocating motion converter |
US9897179B2 (en) * | 2016-07-07 | 2018-02-20 | Karen Sue Svejkovsky | Bearing for supporting a linearly reciprocating structure |
HRP20220092T1 (en) | 2018-02-17 | 2022-06-24 | Paul Blake Svejkovsky | System and method for loading, transporting and unloading frangible products |
US10974907B2 (en) | 2018-10-11 | 2021-04-13 | Precision, Inc. | Horizontal motion conveyors and methods for reversing such conveyors |
USD899022S1 (en) | 2018-10-12 | 2020-10-13 | Precision, Inc. | Conveyor frame |
US11046528B2 (en) | 2019-04-25 | 2021-06-29 | Precision, Inc. | Horizontal motion conveyors having multiple drives |
Family Cites Families (28)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2374663A (en) | 1942-07-20 | 1945-05-01 | Jr Robert M Carrier | Method of and apparatus for conveying |
US3240322A (en) * | 1964-02-11 | 1966-03-15 | Kenneth M Allen | Eccentric pulley drives |
US4174032A (en) * | 1977-09-06 | 1979-11-13 | Goodman Equipment Corporation | Shaker conveyor drive mechanism |
DE2817491A1 (en) * | 1978-04-21 | 1979-10-31 | Kwa Automationsanlagen Wiesbad | PILGRIM PROMOTER |
US4260052A (en) | 1978-06-05 | 1981-04-07 | Fmc Corporation | Vibratory feeder leaf spring arrangement |
US4226326A (en) * | 1978-06-26 | 1980-10-07 | Goodman Equipment Corporation | Conveyor trough and pull rod for a shaker conveyor |
US4813532A (en) * | 1988-01-15 | 1989-03-21 | Allen Fruit Co., Inc. | Natural frequency vibratory conveyor |
US4917655A (en) | 1989-03-01 | 1990-04-17 | Ina Bearing Co., Inc. | Self adjusting timing belt tensioner |
US4913281A (en) | 1989-05-08 | 1990-04-03 | K-Tron International, Inc. | Adjustable self-aligning spring system for vibratory material feeders |
US5178258A (en) | 1990-01-25 | 1993-01-12 | Smalley Alfred E | Inertial conveyor system |
US5064053A (en) * | 1990-10-24 | 1991-11-12 | Carrier Vibrating Equipment, Inc. | Vibratory drive system for a vibratory conveyor apparatus and a conveyor apparatus having same |
US5404996A (en) | 1992-06-23 | 1995-04-11 | Carrier Vibrating Equipment, Inc. | Vibratory drive system for a vibratory conveyor apparatus and a conveyor apparatus having same |
US5615763A (en) * | 1995-08-18 | 1997-04-01 | Carrier Vibrating Equipment, Inc. | Vibratory conveyor system for adjusting the periodic resultant forces supplied to a conveyor trough |
US5794757A (en) | 1996-03-15 | 1998-08-18 | Paul A. Svejkovsky | Differential impulse conveyor and method |
US5850906A (en) * | 1996-08-02 | 1998-12-22 | Fmc Corporation | Bi-directional, differential motion conveyor |
US5762176A (en) * | 1996-11-08 | 1998-06-09 | Fmc Corporation | Belt driven vibratory apparatus |
US6019216A (en) | 1997-03-27 | 2000-02-01 | Fmc Corporation | Spring mounting bracket |
US5979640A (en) * | 1997-05-21 | 1999-11-09 | Carman Industries, Inc. | Vibrating conveyor drive with continuously adjustable stroke |
US6145652A (en) * | 1998-06-08 | 2000-11-14 | Carrier Vibrating Equipment, Inc. | Vibrating conveyor system with sliding eccentric weights |
US6189683B1 (en) | 1998-12-17 | 2001-02-20 | Paul A. Svejkovsky | Differential impulse conveyor with linear motor drive |
US6230875B1 (en) | 1999-05-14 | 2001-05-15 | Allan M. Carlyle | Synchronized vibrator conveyor |
CA2277508A1 (en) | 1999-07-12 | 2001-01-12 | Paul Robert Tamlin | Driving mechanism for shaking tray |
US6276518B1 (en) | 1999-08-30 | 2001-08-21 | Key Technology, Inc. | Vibratory drive for a vibratory conveyor |
US6415911B1 (en) | 1999-10-01 | 2002-07-09 | Paul A. Svejkovsky | Differential impulse conveyor assembly and method |
US6435337B1 (en) | 2000-11-17 | 2002-08-20 | Vibro Industries, Inc. | Rotary drive for vibratory conveyors |
US6868960B2 (en) | 2003-02-20 | 2005-03-22 | Key Technology, Inc. | Conveying apparatus |
US7216757B1 (en) | 2005-12-15 | 2007-05-15 | Fmc Technologies, Inc. | Differential motion conveyor |
US7775343B2 (en) * | 2007-03-01 | 2010-08-17 | Key Technology, Inc. | Manufacturing device for use with a vibratory conveyor, and method for manufacturing a product |
-
2010
- 2010-04-06 US US12/754,687 patent/US8066114B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2011
- 2011-04-04 AU AU2011238514A patent/AU2011238514B2/en active Active
- 2011-04-04 EP EP11766559.6A patent/EP2556003B1/en active Active
- 2011-04-04 BR BR112012025322A patent/BR112012025322B1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2011-04-04 CA CA2795300A patent/CA2795300C/en active Active
- 2011-04-04 MX MX2012011437A patent/MX2012011437A/en active IP Right Grant
- 2011-04-04 ES ES11766559T patent/ES2814304T3/en active Active
- 2011-04-04 PL PL11766559T patent/PL2556003T3/en unknown
- 2011-04-04 WO PCT/US2011/031110 patent/WO2011126987A1/en active Application Filing
Cited By (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
KR101644573B1 (en) | 2012-04-04 | 2016-08-01 | 다니엘리 앤드 씨. 오피시네 메카니케 쏘시에떼 퍼 아찌오니 | Vibration device for an appratus for conveying a metal charge to a melting plant |
WO2013150353A1 (en) * | 2012-04-04 | 2013-10-10 | Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche Spa | Vibration device for an apparatus for conveying a metal charge to a melting plant |
US9776804B2 (en) | 2012-04-04 | 2017-10-03 | Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche S.P.A. | Vibration device for an apparatus for conveying a metal charge to a melting plant |
KR20150016501A (en) * | 2012-04-04 | 2015-02-12 | 다니엘리 앤드 씨. 오피시네 메카니케 쏘시에떼 퍼 아찌오니 | Vibration device for an appratus for conveying a metal charge to a melting plant |
CN104540753A (en) * | 2012-04-04 | 2015-04-22 | 达涅利机械设备股份公司 | Vibration device for an apparatus for conveying a metal charge to a melting plant |
JP2015517963A (en) * | 2012-04-04 | 2015-06-25 | ダニエリ アンド シー.オフィス メカニケ エスピーエーDanieli&C.Officine Meccaniche Spa | Vibrating device for equipment to transport metal charge to melting plant |
ITUD20120056A1 (en) * | 2012-04-04 | 2013-10-05 | Danieli Off Mecc | VIBRATION DEVICE FOR CONVEYING EQUIPMENT OF A METALLIC CHARGE IN A MERGER PLANT |
US9126765B2 (en) | 2013-05-13 | 2015-09-08 | Key Technology, Inc. | Linear motion conveyor |
EP2996971A4 (en) * | 2013-05-13 | 2016-04-27 | Key Technology Inc | Linear motion conveyor |
AU2014265701B2 (en) * | 2013-05-13 | 2016-09-15 | Key Technology, Inc. | Linear motion conveyor |
WO2014186253A1 (en) | 2013-05-13 | 2014-11-20 | Key Technology, Inc. | Linear motion conveyor |
EP3331782A4 (en) * | 2015-08-04 | 2018-12-19 | Key Technology, Inc. | Improved linear motion conveyor |
CN106628459A (en) * | 2016-12-31 | 2017-05-10 | 苏州博众精工科技有限公司 | Vibrating mechanism |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
AU2011238514A1 (en) | 2012-11-01 |
US8066114B2 (en) | 2011-11-29 |
EP2556003A4 (en) | 2018-01-10 |
CA2795300A1 (en) | 2011-10-13 |
CA2795300C (en) | 2016-07-12 |
EP2556003A1 (en) | 2013-02-13 |
BR112012025322B1 (en) | 2020-01-21 |
AU2011238514B2 (en) | 2014-07-17 |
MX2012011437A (en) | 2013-05-09 |
EP2556003B1 (en) | 2020-06-10 |
BR112012025322A2 (en) | 2017-08-01 |
WO2011126987A1 (en) | 2011-10-13 |
PL2556003T3 (en) | 2021-09-20 |
ES2814304T3 (en) | 2021-03-26 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US8066114B2 (en) | Differential impulse conveyor with improved drive | |
JP4049394B2 (en) | Differential impulse type conveyor and method | |
US6527104B2 (en) | Differential impulse conveyor with linear motor drive | |
AU2014265701B2 (en) | Linear motion conveyor | |
US9776805B2 (en) | Linear motion conveyor | |
US6415911B1 (en) | Differential impulse conveyor assembly and method | |
CZ20033255A3 (en) | Method and apparatus for spreading and rolling material of a food dough strip | |
US5288194A (en) | Device for unloading article from circulative loading base | |
CN101472688B (en) | Apparatus for use to check potatoes or similar items | |
JP6389021B2 (en) | Improved linear motion conveyor | |
US6298978B1 (en) | Reversing natural frequency vibratory conveyor system | |
US7581459B2 (en) | Device for transporting parts for supplying machines | |
KR101270532B1 (en) | Conveyor for carrying panel | |
JP2006131404A (en) | High-speed vertically branching device | |
CA2432418C (en) | Driving mechanism for shaking table | |
US20040251113A1 (en) | Driving mechanism for shaking table | |
JP3108008U (en) | Transport device | |
JPH04173010A (en) | Seedling transplantation apparatus | |
CA2307401A1 (en) | Improved log elevating conveyor | |
JPH057281B2 (en) |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: SVEJKOVSKY, PAUL, TEXAS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SVEJKOVSKY, BLAKE;REEL/FRAME:024189/0857 Effective date: 20100405 |
|
ZAAA | Notice of allowance and fees due |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: NOA |
|
ZAAB | Notice of allowance mailed |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: MN/=. |
|
STCF | Information on status: patent grant |
Free format text: PATENTED CASE |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 4 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: THE ESTATE OF P.A. & K.S. SVEJKOVSKY LIVING TRUST, Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:THE ESTATE OF PAUL A. SVEJKOVSKY;REEL/FRAME:036640/0380 Effective date: 20150915 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: THE P. A. & K. S. SVEJKOVSKY LIVING TRUST DATED JU Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:THE ESTATE OF PAUL A. SVEJKOVSKY;REEL/FRAME:036664/0392 Effective date: 20150915 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: THE P.A. & K.S. SVEJKOVSKY LIVING TRUST DATED JULY Free format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ESTATE OF P.A. & K.S SVEJKOVSKY LIVING TRUST, DATED JULY 9, 1997, AS AMENDED PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 036640 FRAME: 0380. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT;ASSIGNOR:THE ESTATE OF PAUL A. SVEJKOVSKY;REEL/FRAME:036700/0348 Effective date: 20150915 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: KAREN SUE SVEJKOVSKY, TRUSTEE OF THE PAUL A. SVEJK Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:THE P. A. & K. S. SVEJKOVSKY LIVING TRUST DATED JULY 9, 1997, AS AMENDED;REEL/FRAME:043760/0198 Effective date: 20170705 |
|
FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: ENTITY STATUS SET TO UNDISCOUNTED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: BIG.) |
|
MAFP | Maintenance fee payment |
Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE UNDER 1.28(C) (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1559); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
|
FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: PETITION RELATED TO MAINTENANCE FEES GRANTED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: PTGR); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
|
MAFP | Maintenance fee payment |
Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 8TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1552); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY Year of fee payment: 8 |
|
FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: MAINTENANCE FEE REMINDER MAILED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: REM.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
|
LAPS | Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees |
Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED FOR FAILURE TO PAY MAINTENANCE FEES (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: EXP.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
|
STCH | Information on status: patent discontinuation |
Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362 |
|
FP | Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee |
Effective date: 20231129 |